I'm continuing to enjoy the ease of getting around Portland. I think I should have bought a three-day or weekend pass for the bus, but I didn't see any advertised. It's okay though, as it is still quite affordable to get around. (And I've been lucky with a few rides from friends as well.) The event at Powells was great, as was roaming the towering shelves of the biggest bookstore I've ever seen. After the event we went to Fernando's Hideaway, a Spanish restaurant on First Street. Tapas that got thumbs up from the group were the crab cakes and lamb. I really liked the sangria although folks I was dining with said they have had better. We didn't stay to watch the salsa dancing on the second floor, where they do offer free lessons on Thursdays and Fridays. 

Today the rain stopped long enough for me to do some walking. I made my way south on Hawthorne and cut over to Clinton and 25th, where I met Weblogs Inc. blogging pal Sarah Gilbert at Henry's Cafe. Sarah, along with the so very adorable Blogging Babys Everett and Truman, welcomed me to Portland over coffee and pancakes. It's been nice to visit a city where I know some locals. Traveling to a new city by myself is always such a thrill for me — I love exploring unknown turf. But I've found that having knowlegable navigators on the ground to call in case of emergency or to share coffee in a cafe has been such a great bonus. It's something I'll keep in mind as I continue to plan my European adventure…where do I have friends on the ground to assist?

Filed under: Arts and Culture, Food and Drink